The present invention is directed to an industrial hanger. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a universal suspended anchor system.
An industrial hanger generally refers to a device used for securing building services to the primary steelwork of a structure. Industrial hangers are widely used in industrial-type applications. Typically, industrial hangers are used to secure items such as pipes, cable, and conduit (e.g., water and related services, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning piping and conduit and electrical cables) from the steel joists or trusses located overhead in industrial buildings.
Oftentimes, however, industrial hangers are difficult and costly to install. Characteristically, industrial hangers cannot be installed from the floor: an installer must use a ladder or lift to elevate him or herself to the height of the roof trusses and then proceed to bolt or weld previously known industrial hanger systems to the truss. Unfortunately, large equipment such as electrical or heating and ventilation systems can cause obstructions such that elevating to the height of the truss or otherwise installing the industrial hangers poses a significant challenge.
Another challenge confronted by users of known industrial hangers is that many hangers can exert forces unevenly on the sides of the joists from which the hanger is affixed. Often, the industrial hanger does not distribute the weight uniformly on the truss/joist; because some industrial hangers are mounted on one side of a joist, the load is concentrated on one leg or side of a joist than another. This uneven distribution of load on a weight-bearing surface can be problematic.
In addition, known hanger systems often rotate or move and typically have no seismic restraints to reduce rotational and translational movement.
Finally, existing industrial hangers that can be mounted to trusses from the floor require a seller or user to stock extra inventory such as different lengths of rod or other parts to reach different heights for different installations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a universal suspended anchor system. Desirably, such a universal suspended anchor system is easy to install from the floor and provides for uniform distribution of load, as well as seismic restraint. More desirably, such an anchor is readily made and usable, while keeping parts to a minimum, and has a high degree of integrity at reduced cost.